Ahold Delhaize provides guidance for Annual General Meeting on April 8, 2020; urges shareholders not to attend in-person and to vote in advance by proxy

Zaandam, the Netherlands, March 30, 2020 – Ahold Delhaize confirms that it will hold its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) on April 8, 2020. As the coronavirus pandemic develops, to mitigate health risks and comply with Dutch government health directives, the company today announces further guidance and necessary measures with respect to the meeting.

Unlike past general meetings, due to the COVID-19 health risk, the company urges shareholders not to attend this AGM in-person and to vote in advance of the meeting. If a shareholder nevertheless insists on attending the meeting in-person, he or she is requested to send an email to the Company Secretary at company.secretary@aholddelhaize.com on or before April 3, 2020 with the motivation to attend in-person. To ensure a safe and orderly meeting as much as possible, the company will assess each such request and it cannot admit shareholders who have not submitted a request to attend in-person. Shareholders who do attend the meeting in-person will do so at their own health risk and are responsible for maintaining the mandatory social distance at all times. Those who show symptoms of COVID-19 as referred to on the Dutch RIVM website, such as cough, shortness of breath or fever, or who have been in contact with any person suffering from COVID-19 during the previous 14 days, may not attend the meeting. Those who do not act in accordance with the mandatory social distance will be asked to leave the meeting. Visitors will not be admitted.

On behalf of the company, only a very limited number of Management Board and Supervisory Board members will attend the meeting in-person. Other members will participate through other means.

The company will broadcast the meeting live so that all shareholders can follow the proceedings. In addition, the company will provide the ability for shareholders to submit questions in writing prior to the meeting, by sending them to company.secretary@aholddelhaize.com before April 4, 2020. The company intends to answer all questions during the meeting. As per the original convocation, shareholders are able to exercise voting rights through electronic or written proxy on or before April 1, 2020.

The meeting will take place at Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Amsterdam, as per the original convocation. If, in the opinion of the company or by governmental/ RIVM directive, a health or safety issue would arise in relation to the meeting, it may make last minute changes to logistics or venue including additional requirements or limitations in relation to the attendance in person. This includes the option of organizing an AGM without a physical component, if and when legally allowed. The company will inform shareholders of any such changes.

As stated in our previous press release, there will be no lunch or post-meeting reception or other social gatherings surrounding the meeting. 

Ahold Delhaize trusts that its shareholders will understand the above measures in view of the extraordinary situation. The company continues to closely monitor the situation and advises its shareholders to regularly check the company website for updates.

Cautionary notice

This communication includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Words such as will, guidance, ensure, cannot, so that, can, intends to, are, would, may or continues to or other similar words or expressions are typically used to identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and that may cause actual results of Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize N.V. (the “Company”) to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the Company’s public filings and other disclosures. Forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Company’s management and assumptions based on information currently available to the Company’s management. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and the Company does not assume any obligation to update such statements, except as required by law.